


when the light of yours shines down so beautiful

by camphollstein



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, Friends to Lovers, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-18
Updated: 2019-11-18
Packaged: 2021-02-12 18:05:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21480586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/camphollstein/pseuds/camphollstein
Summary: After many years of secret, painful pining, Asami continues to pretend her crush on Korra doesn’t bother her. Opal and Mako, who are very much bothered by her lack of initiative, decide to give her a little push.
Relationships: Bolin/Opal (Avatar), Korra/Asami Sato, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 23
Kudos: 436





	when the light of yours shines down so beautiful

**Author's Note:**

> god this is my first fic in three years  
thanks to wanda for giving me a kick in the butt and getting me to finish this, and to wind for not laughing at me the entire time i freaked out about posting it. the title comes from "take me on" by SALTNPAPER.

“You're my best friend.”

Best friend.

Best. Friend.

Asami drops her head on the wooden table.

“You really are awful at this.” Mako says, delighted.

“Go fuck yourself.”

“It's just great that Asami Sato isn't brilliant at everything. Helps out my self-esteem.”

“I'm glad one of us is happy about this,” Asami grumbles, then hits her head again. “Oh my God. Best friend. I don't want to be her best friend!”

“Ask her out. Do that cool hair-flipping thing.”

Asami raises her head to glare at him. “Seems easy when you've never asked anyone out.”

Mako gasps. “Low blow, Sato.”

“Be helpful!”

“I'm not! I'm here to watch you suffer.”

Her left eye twitches. “I hate you.”

Mako happily finishes his coke.

Their regular coffee shop is closed; Tenzin got invited to a hippie-dippie thing upstate and Jinora refused to open without Meelo's help. They're sitting at the curb, with a couple of six-pack colas, watching Korra teaching Bolin how to skateboard. It's going- well, it's going.

“This is a trap,” Bolin yells after he falls again. “Who decided to put wheels on wood boards?”

“Shut up,” Korra says, “You jump off ramps with those sticks you call bikes. This is easy-peasy.”

“Yeah- easy to die.”

“Stop being a baby, Bolin,” Kai laughs. He decides to circle around Bolin in his outrageously green skateboard, like the little shit he is. “If Korra can do it...”

“I will smash your face in, kid,” Korra sing-songs. Bolin stands on the board for a more than half-a-second and she cheers; he tries to push forward, though, and slips a little. Asami can't help but laugh- Korra jokingly glares at her. “I don't see you two helping!”

Asami grins while Mako answers, “Not planning on it!”

“Outrage!” Bolin yells, clutching at his chest. “Betrayed by my own kin!”

Korra eventually gives up and walks up to them- Asami curses the butterflies that flap around her stomach at Korra's smile. She sits next to her and takes off her helmet, shakes out her hair. Asami dies a little internally.

“Hey, cool kids,” she says, popping one of the glass bottles open with her forearm, “Can I join you?”

“You don't wear enough leather,” Asami tells her. “But we'll make an exception.”

Korra laughs. “It's too hot in those jackets.”

“Maybe it's because you're running a constant fever.” Mako says.

“Maybe I'm just that hot, hmm?”

Asami snickers, though she very much agrees. “Shush and drink your coke, hotshot.”

* * *

Asami made Bolin's bike a few years before, just as they got into college, as a birthday present. It's got a characteristic Sato-feel to it- some steampunk elements, like the custom-made swirly wheels and the flowing lines that fill the space between two bars.

The bike was the first thing she did all by herself. In Tenzin's garage, she and Opal – who was really there just to ogle at Bolin while he and Mako mowed the lawn – sketched out and built the whole structure. She made sure it can be redone if she thinks of better impact rubbers and things like that, but it probably won't need any.

She's done a skateboard once, for Mako. She's been friends with the brothers for much longer than she's known the others- since the first year of high school, in fact. She remembers she often went to the library for the quiet, to always see the two brothers furrowing their brows at their notebooks. At some point, her shyness lost to the want to help- Asami started sitting with them to help with math, incidentally becoming a third sibling in the process.

Back then, she wasn't known as the engineering prodigy she is now. Asami then was, surprisingly enough, a popular girl around school. To the level where she felt like the hot guy from teenage movies. And she still doesn't get why; she was, at best, quiet, and kept to the boys and eventually to the rest of the group.

Well, she has an idea. Asami has always been a bit too attractive for her own good.

Asami thinks exactly that when she finds herself cornered by two men at the end of class. With her folder pressed to her chest, she watches as they both try to ask her out at the same time, glaring at each other.

“I- um,” she says, not sure how to phrase it, “Both of these scenarios sound wonderful, boys, but I'm a bit too busy these days. But I'm sure Kara and Maya from Calculus III would love to hear from you two.”

Their faces plummet and rise again; unwilling to hear their attempts at convincing her, she gives them both her best stunning smile and hightails out of there.

By the door, she finds Korra giggling behind her hand.

“What's so funny?” she asks, narrowing her eyes, “Been enjoying the show?”

“Poor boys,” Korra laughs. She doesn't even ask before taking Asami's bag and folder from her, carrying them as they leave the building. “Breaking hearts left and right, Sato.”

“Oh, I seem to recall your less-than-smooth rejection of that guy from polo-”

Korra makes a face. “Okay, fair point. Besides, I don't think they were half your level.”

“They're pretty cool guys, you know.”

Korra moves the books so she can tap her own chin in fake-pensiveness. “Not enough.”

“If the two runner-ups for best students in my course aren't enough...”

“No one is good enough for you, Asami,” Korra says as if it's a given. Asami blinks. “You're too cool and smart. No one can keep up. And also they'd have to get the okay from me and the boys.”

“You're in charge of my love life, now?”

Korra looks like a teen caught sneaking out; she glances up at Asami's smirk and gulps. “N-no? You can date anyone you want.”

“Oh, I can?”

“Oh my God,” Korra whines, “Don't do this to me.”

Asami laughs loudly, catching some passersby's attention. “It's fun to watch you squirm,” she says, in a deliberately low tone. Korra slips a little, books teetering on her arms.

“Stop,” she grunts. “What would your father say?”

“Keep it up, Asami.”

Korra guffaws at Asami's attempt at her father's voice. “That's awful.”

“You're so insulting today, Korra.”

They enter the dorms, immediately hit with the noise of the weekly Mario Kart competition at the common room. Korra glances up at her at her comment and pokes her tongue out. “You're cool, Sato. There, feel better?”

“Oh, immensely.” Especially at noticing the – very slight on Korra's skin tone, but Asami knows her enough to spot it – blush that comes to the back of her neck.

* * *

Korra always pulls a dejected face when Asami shows up on her bicycle to the crew's weekly hang out. “I thought we were best friends,” she pouts, even then helping Asami out by holding her helmet, “And you betray me like this.”

“And yet, you still love me.”

Korra snorts and grins. “Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Bolin's hungry.”

“Bolin is, huh?”

Asami waits till Korra turns to return the helmet to smirk at her. Korra rolls her eyes. “Fine- I'm hungry.”

She laughs a little; Korra opens the door for her, a hand on the small of her back. It sends sparks up her spine, ones she continuously has to mask from Korra's keen eyes. Her breathing gets a little unsteady, sure, but Korra then gives her a reason by telling her of Mako's face-planting during football practice.

“Stop telling people about it,” Mako says grouchily, “My boot got stuck on the grass.”

“It was like- in slow motion,” Korra continues over his mumbling, her hand sliding on the air to emphasize her point, “His face went down first and then he slid and the rest of him fell down. God, it was hilarious. Even Tenzin laughed.”

Tenzin then pokes his head out of his kitchen. He clears his throat, all dignified and such, though he wears Pema's pink apron. “I did no such thing.”

“Don't disprove me in front of the lady!” Korra gasps.

Asami winks at her and moves to sit on the couch. Tenzin's living room is large and fits all of them easily; a slew of couches and pretty chairs about the room, with teenagers and adults sprawled in varying levels of tiredness. It's the end of the semester, and everyone is at the end of their rope.

“Math is hard,” Kai says by her side. His clothes are rumpled- Asami thinks he should eat something before he disappears. “Why do you like it?”

“Because it's hard.”

He groans. “I will fight you.”

Asami playfully pats his head. “It'll be over soon.”

“How do you even finish high school?”

“Lots of Red Bull and luck.”

Korra plops down next to them, throwing her arm around Asami's seat. “Sato is lying. She didn't need luck- she's got the brains to do anything.”

“Flatterer.”

Kai laughs. “Korra is right, though.” He pauses for a second. “Wow, a sentence never spoken before. Incredible.”

Korra slaps his arm. “Try me- I will bench you next game.”

“Don't maul the kid, Korra,” she sighs. “He's tiny.”

“I'm insulted,” he says, a hand to his chest; at her grin, Kai scoffs and moves to find his girlfriend.

“How's the job?” Korra asks.

Asami groans and leans into Korra- she gets a full-on hug now, Korra's head on top of hers and her legs dangling off the couch. “I'm tired.”

“So it's shit?”

“No- it's good. But I spend the whole day messing with cars and running around for parts...”

Korra comfortingly runs a hand up and down Asami's arm; she moves closer to her, her arm around Korra's waist. When she speaks, it rumbles against Asami's chest. “At least you're having fun.”

“But I miss hanging out with you guys.”

It's a half-truth, really. She misses seeing the boys, sure, but she especially misses seeing Korra. The few times they see each other are stolen moments between classes, where they catch up quickly and leave with a quick hug. She likes cuddling with Korra in Tenzin's old couches and watching terrible movies- it's kind of what got her through most of senior year.

And, well, hugging your crush for hours on end is pretty great too.

“Aw, is Satobot having feelings?”

“Don't,” she grumbles, “You're ruining it.”

“Love you too, Sato.”

It claws its way up her throat- disappointment tinges her next words. “Yeah, yeah. You too.”

* * *

“We need a game plan.”

Asami rolls out of under the car she's working on. Mako is there, standing up, with his typical red scarf and spiked hair- there's a familiar glint in his eyes. Alarmed, she quickly says, “I am not getting into any harebrained scheme of yours- even if it involves-”

“Me!” Opal jumps into view.

“No.”

She tries to roll back under, but Mako puts his foot behind the wheel to stop her. “Just hear us out.”

“Do I have to?”

“I brought coffee.”

Asami bolts to her feet and reaches out towards Opal. “I have to.”

Opal gives her a steaming cup of black coffee, smiling beatifically. Mako and Opal are possibly the strangest pair of friends in their group, with him being brooding and sarcastic and Opal being a happy and bubbly ray of sunshine, but they work well. The three of them bonded over their shared interests in the latter part of senior year, and became the flipside to Korra and Bolin's eternal bromance.

“So- game plan.” Opal claps. “There's a party this weekend at Bolin's dorm. Mako and I were thinking it was the perfect set up for you to ask Korra out.”

She almost spits the coffee out. “What? Haven't we talked about this?”

“Yes,” Mako rolls his eyes, “But you keep sticking to that 'nooo, she only likes me as a friend' and 'I don't wanna mess up what we have' while we keep telling you that's shit.”

“Yeah. Korra likes you back.”

“I don't think so.”

They wear identical expressions of disbelief.

“She literally dropped all her books when you went to our meet-up when you were wearing gym shorts.”

“And walked all the way from home to help you to your dorm- even though, mind you, she lives with me. On the other side of town.”

“And she spent her allowance to get you that scarf you were looking at.”

“And-”

Asami puts a hand up. Her mind is racing a little, but she isn't convinced. “You guys say what you think is proof.”

Opal raises her finger. “Aha- you know what would be proof? A yes or no to a date.”

Mako nods. “See!”

“I know you're not that great with social cues,” Opal tells her, smiling a little at Asami's silence, “But even Mako noticed it.”

“Hey! I notice things!”

Both girls turn to him, unimpressed. “No, you don’t.” They say in unison. He pouts.

“Okay, but- um- not that I'm saying yes to this,” she says quickly, avoiding their widening eyes and grins, “How does one go about asking someone out?”

“I don't know.”

“Go up and ask?”

Asami adopts the familiar posture of hands on her hips, looking about her workshop. Nothing there is remotely helpful. “Should I get flowers? Does Korra like flowers?”

“I dunno.”

“Get her a bouquet of Orbs wheels,” Mako says, shrugging. “Korra is pretty practical.”

“See, this is why you two didn't work out,” Opal tsks. “No romance whatsoever.”

“It worked out in the end, didn't it? Now she can date Asami.”

Asami frowns. “Let's not get ahead of ourselves. I have to ask first.”

* * *

It is not to be said that Asami Sato half-asses anything.

She keeps a close eye to Korra talking about stuff. She always has, but now she's looking for specific things, like clues to whether or not her attempt at – possibly – asking her out would be welcome. And she finds exactly... nothing.

Because Korra and her have always acted like a couple. It's a given. They schedule hangouts together, arrive together, leave together. When the crew has dinner, they split dishes and drink each other's soda like it's normal. And it is their normal.

But it doesn't help Asami's increasingly jittery nerves.

And now that it's getting progressively colder around town, even Korra has taken up to coats and sweaters. Asami nearly drops her phone when Korra comes around after practice, wearing a pretty black sweater that clings to her form.

“I got two goals in today,” she says casually, as if Asami isn't slowly dying in the spot. “Lin even smiled a little. I'm winning her over bit by bit, I can tell.”

“You win everyone over, Korra.”

She gets that shy look again, the one that tells Asami she's doing something right. “Thanks,” she says quickly. “Hey, you wanna stop by for coffee? You look tired.”

“Wow, thanks.”

Korra stammers. “Not like bad tired- though I don't think there's good tired- but like you haven't slept? I mean- you always look great, Asami. It just- God. Please help me out of this.”

Asami laughs out loud, “Thank you for the compliment. I haven't slept, no. I'd love coffee.”

A bright smile is Korra's response, all of her face lighting up in that familiar endearing manner. She pulls Asami to her feet without as much as a grunt of effort, like she weights nothing; before she lets go of her arm, though, Asami moves to lace their fingers together.

“Are you excited for Sunday's game?” she asks casually, as if her heart isn't thundering out of her chest.

Korra takes a little while to answer- she looks over, slinging her backpack over her shoulder, and Korra's cheeks are dusted with pink, eyes to her feet. She blinks a little and turns to smile at Asami's risen eyebrow. “Hell yes. We're destroying Zaofu.”

“That's a bit harsh.”

Her shy smile turns into a confident grin. “It's the truth. Zaofu's team's got nothing on us. Besides, if we lose against Suyin, Lin might chop me into pieces and serve me with cilantro.”

“Oddly specific.”

“And true.”

They talk while walking to Tenzin's café, still hand in hand. Asami, while calm as fuck on the outside, might be dying a little- Korra smells really, really nice. And the ends of her hair are still damp from her shower, meaning they curl a little bit under her beanie, which is pretty adorable.

The Republic City University campus was built a few years after most of the city was planned and filled out, and consequently carries a different design in buildings. Most outsiders, when they come to study, are surprised by the visibly clearer cement in the sidewalks and the traffic lines that favor buses and bikes- it was an effort by the second wave of council members to create a more ecological feel to the town.

Asami, as much as she likes dark and towering buildings - the overall aesthetic of midtown Republic City - adores the feel of the campus. The streets are smooth and most buildings have glinting windows paired by trees or bushes; the Yue Building, for example, has a huge glass entryway with intricately designed metallic support beams. As they pass by it, the dusky sunlight creates a natural pinkish glow to the whole area, glinting off the building and showing on Korra's eyes. They look as if tiny stars are held inside the orbs- she wonders if they would cause the same amount of gravity that Korra causes on her.

The Air Temple Café is a few blocks from the actual school buildings, between some gardens and a dorm; it is the favorite place of many students in their free time, mostly skaters and bikers like themselves, as the street leading up to it is basically a ramp. Some of the guys around wave at them- Korra is a well-known skater around these parts, and Asami helped design quite a few boards in her time. They smile and wave back- Asami sees their lack of reaction at their joined hands and grins a little.

Jinora is behind the counter as they enter, tiredly explaining something to a costumer. She peeks around him to spot them and smiles. “Hey, guys,” she says, when the guy moves off, “The usual?”

“Yeah, please,” Asami nods, “Where's Meelo?”

“God knows,” she frowns- it's amusing how Jinora's expression always switches to mild-annoyance when talking about her siblings. “He was supposed to be here half-an-hour ago. My shift is ending soon.”

“Scones?” Korra asks, very serious.

“No.”

“Donuts?”

“No, Korra.”

“Anything that isn't boring or has kale in it?”

“You know the answer already.”

Korra huffs. “Why do you guys only serve rabbit food?”

“It's good for you!”

She narrows her eyes. “I saw you eat a burger last Friday.”

Jinora looks around, alarmed. “Shut the fu- don't say that. I don't want Dad to lecture me again, alright?”

“I get it. We can't all live off of his weird air, plants, and chi-balance-whatever diet.”

They get their coffee and sit down on the sunken couches by the front window; Korra sighs at her veggie sandwich.

“It's so healthy it's sad.” Asami hums noncommittally, too preoccupied with her coffee. Korra peeks at it and groans. “Oh my god, did you even put sugar on that?”

“No.”

Korra fake-gags and Asami laughs. “That's gross.”

“Gross is that abomination you called a hot-dog yesterday.”

“That was the best.”

“Ew.”

An accusing finger gets pointed at Asami; Korra shakes her head. “Don't knock it 'till you try it.”

“That was the image of artery-clogging food, Korra. And, while you may eat whatever since you exercise and all, most of us don't have that privilege.”

Korra rolls her eyes- Asami thinks she's been spending too much time with Mako. “As if you could ever look anything but perfect.”

She feels her face get warm and the butterflies zoom around her torso; Asami is helpless to hide it. Her lips turn upwards into a bashful smile- Korra looks at her with those same stars in her eyes she had before, and it sends Asami into a tailspin of maybes. “You're so flattering today,” she kind of sighs, moving to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. “Making me blush and everything.”

Korra opens her mouth to say something, a strangely hopeful look to her, when someone plops down on the seat between them.

“Hey, guys!”

Asami hides half her face with her hand, trying not to glare at Bolin. “Hey, Bo.”

Korra actually does glare at him. “Hi.”

Bolin, adorably clueless as he is, just grins, “Haven seen you in a while,” he says. Behind his head, she can spot Jinora strangely also glaring. “I wanted to ask if you're coming to the dorm thing?”

“Oh- the party? Sure. I could use some alcohol.”

Korra nods. “Count me in.”

She thinks maybe Bolin will now move on and let her try to flirt with Korra again, but no- he actually settles in his seat. And, icing on the cake, Kai shows up out of nowhere and throws himself on the remaining seat. “Yo. What we talking about?”

“The party you can't attend,” Bolin responds cheekily. Jinora, behind him, seems to have given up, her head down on the counter. She understands the sentiment. “Since you're a child.”

Kai, who is valiantly trying to undo his helmet's clasp, sticks his tongue out in a very Korra fashion. She glances at her on instinct; her eyes are kind of glazed over, still on Asami, like she's trying to remember something.

Then she shakes herself of whatever stupor she was in and grins cockily at him. “Yeah, kid. You're going to be doing homework while we dance and drink. So sad.”

“Truly heartbreaking,” Bolin deadpans, “Whatever shall you do?”

Asami inwardly deflates. Instead of joining the banter the trio seems to be picking up, she shares an exasperated look with Jinora, and focuses on finishing her coffee.

* * *

She met Korra on the first day of junior year.

It was a hot day with little to no wind- she remembers having to wear a white t-shirt instead of her usual dark clothes. It was a new shirt, too, that her dad got her as he was off in a conference; she'd complained at him about losing too many clothes in her growth spurt. Dad, in his new attempts of being a present and kind father – which do work over the years – had also gotten her a new backpack, which she stuffed with new textbooks and science magazines.

She waited by the bikes for the boys to appear- she'd given Bolin her old bike on a whim and he'd happily ridden it to school, leaving Mako to his battered skateboard. Opal, who'd befriended them after Bolin accidentally ran her over, talked about her mother's new pupil, when a van pulled up to the driveway.

Tenzin's family was well-known around town. They were all enrolled into the elementary and middle schools up the street- but the van stopped at their school, opening the door for someone to step out. She absentmindedly watched the car, mostly paying attention to Opal's story- when a girl stepped out in to the school yard.

It wasn't like being hit by lightning, nor like a sudden urge or desire. It was more like a gentle nudge, like fate itself was pointing the direction her destiny was tied to. She saw Korra – all in blue, basketball shorts and a team uniform – quickly make her way into the actual building, her long hair glinting in the sunlight.

She looks back at it with fondness, now; if only she'd known then what the dropping of her stomach meant.

* * *

Parties with the crew, though almost illegally fun, are not conductive to flirting. Especially the ones in Bo's dorm, which are known for lots of noise, lots of drinks, and little clothing.

When she gets to her third beer, Asami turns from the glowing pool in the backyard to see the age-old tradition of group dive-bomb start. Bolin is at the forefront, taking off his shirt with a yell and jumping in- behind him dives a boy from Asami's Monday classes, and then two random people. She hoots along with the crowd just for the hell of it, and turns back to Mako.

Asami listens very halfheartedly to his rant about the price of chlorine, her back to the pool- when he stops and starts smirking, she turns around to see what's up. And she's really not prepared for what she sees.

Korra reaches the edge of the pool and, with the loud cheering from the drunken crowd, takes off her shirt, leaving her in a swimsuit top and shorts. She looks up, cocky smirk in place, and finds them by the edge- she fucking winks at Asami before jumping in.

“That was rude.” Asami says, her mouth dry. “And um- really hot.”

Mako guffaws by her side, undeterred by her glare. “You're so fucked.”

“I'm dying.”

“I can tell.”

Opal shows up from inside, her expression mirroring Asami as she spots her boyfriend. “I love these parties.”

Asami drinks a lot. And by a lot, she means a fuckton. There are remarkably few that can keep up with her tolerance- only Mako matches her shot by shot, as Opal ends up just sitting and staring off into Bolin's general direction.

She even joins in a circle of people doing tequila shots by the porch, desperate to stop thinking about Korra's muscles. Were she sober, she'd remember tequila only makes her feel even more, but her drunk logic has never been foolproof. So she goes back downstairs, swaying a little bit, determined to prove herself as not a dumb idiot facing Korra.

It doesn't work.

“Sato!” Korra yells, throwing her towel at Tahno's face. She crosses the packed room and – literally - sweeps Asami off her feet, holding her up on her arms. Asami blinks at her sudden height. “Where weeere you?”

“Upstairs,” she says, unable to resist ruffling Korra's wet hair. She gets a pretty grin in return; Korra sets her down, but doesn't move any further away. They're pressed up against each other by the center of the living room, where everyone can see them. “There were shots.”

“Doing shots without me, huh? Ouch.”

Asami laughs and puts her arms around Korra's neck; the other girl leans a bit into it, her warming cheek pressing against the inside of her elbow. “Maybe I was getting lonely, since you were over there with your fanclub and all.”

“That's stupid,” Korra throws her head back- Asami is momentarily distracted by the smooth skin of her neck. “You just gotta say the word and I'll give you all my attention.”

“Good to know, hotshot.”

Korra winks at her again- Asami doesn't know what to do with herself. “Should've jumped in too- doubt anyone would've even glanced at me next to you with your shirt off.”

Her reply gets cut off- Opal shows up with her phone, yelling over the music for a photo. Instead of a selfie, she decides to turn the camera at them; Korra pulls Asami even closer and rests her head on her shoulder for it, while Asami just smirks at the camera in true Mako fashion.

It might be the alcohol in her system or the way Korra looks under the the lights, but she leans in to kiss Korra's cheek, close to her top lip. Even in the thrumming of the crowd, Asami notices the skipping of her heartbeat- she smirks. Maybe- maybe she should try and find out if she can get another reaction out of her.

The trio moves to the couches, all of them slumping at the same time. Asami throws her legs over Korra's, winking at Opal's coy grin, and puts an arm around Korra's shoulder. “Where's your boyfriend?” she asks over the music.

Opal laughs. “Good question- probably stopping someone from repeating Tahno's jump from last year.”

“He left you all alone?”

“Meh, it's alright. He's already getting laid tonight anyway.”

Korra gags. “Ew.”

The answering giggle is a good enough cover-up for her next move. She starts messing with the hair at the base of Korra's head, dragging her nails lightly. Korra visibly leans into it, letting out what looks like a shaky breath. “At least no one's pulled out Never Have I Ever yet.”

“Yet being the key word.” Opal spots Asami's hand and grins, but doesn't say anything. “What- you wanted to play? You might be too drunk.”

“Perfectly fine, Opal, thank you very much.”

Korra's head shifts slightly to give her more space, eyes blinking slowly to focus on Opal. She's getting flustered, Asami can tell; it makes her smug. “You just don't wanna play because you'll lose.”

Opal gasps and raises a hand to her chest. “I would not!”

“Sure.”

Asami moves so that her mouth is right by Korra's ear as she replies, “We believe you, Opal.”

It's a sweet kind of torture, she thinks. Korra's hand moves to her thigh, warm and solid- she's still shirtless, her hot skin against Asami's thin dress. It makes her lightheaded, how close they are to each other. How she could easily turn Korra around and kiss her.

But she doesn't know if that's okay with her. And even in the blessed chance that it is, doesn't want to kiss her in the middle of a sweaty crowd. But God, is it hard.

Instead, she trails paths across Korra's bare shoulders, brushes fingers against her stomach, and leans closer than normal. It's a burbling want, a need to just pass that careful line that's kept her in for so long- Asami has just grown tired of being in love with Korra and not having her. And God- maybe she wants her too.

Maybe- because Korra ends up with a hand on the small of Asami's back, which she uses as leverage for dropping quick, light kisses to Asami's cheek. Korra whispers in her ear random jokes or quips about Bolin's dancing or Mako's surly glares; and behind her, Opal nods in excitement, reminding her that it's not all in her head. Probably.

As she is wont to do, even when drunk, Asami lists off all the pros and cons of kissing Korra right there. She gets to the third ‘because she’s pretty and I like her’ when Korra giggles, high and airy, at something Opal has said. Asami can’t remember what she’s doing at all.

Asami has her head on Korra’s shoulder, looking up from under her eyelashes, mouth half-open and unfocused eyes drifting across Korra’s features. She’s so goddamn beautiful it makes Asami briefly angry- how can anyone not fall for her? Is this really her fault?

A voice calls her a couple of times. She slowly shifts her focus to a waving Mako, who is waving her over to settle something with some math majors. Reluctantly, Asami gets up.

“Mako needs me. Be right back.”

“But I need you,” Korra says, holding onto her hand. Her eyes are suddenly focused and some murky intent shines through them. Asami is nowhere sober enough to read her. “Don’t go.”

Asami feels her cheeks heat up. “I’ll be quick, Korra. Promise.”

The seniors are clearly making fun of poor Mako, whose IQ has dropped to 0 after downing half the party’s supply of alcohol. She appropriately disposes of them and guides her friend to the kitchen. He guzzles down a can of coke before saying, eyebrows pinched tightly: “I’m alright. You should go look for Korra.”

At least that’s what he thinks he said. What actually comes out is: “‘m aight. You-“ he hiccups. “You look for Cola.”

“Cola? You already have some. Why do you need more?”

“What? No. Kor-ra. Korra. Hmm. That’s what I meant to say.” Mako smacks his lips, satisfied with his English prowess. “I’m gonna go lie down on the bathtub upstairs now. Go, you beautiful bisexual genius!”

He hits the doorframe two times before managing to leave the kitchen. Korra passes him by and he fist-bumps her eagerly. Asami returns to the living room and Korra leads her into a quiet corner where they can better hear each other.

“What’s up with Mako?”

“I think he got into a competition or something? He clearly lost.”

Korra nods and then pouts. “You left me.”

Asami tears her eyes away from her lips. “I told you I was coming back.”

“Opal and Bolin are being gross.”

“Ah- that’s why you’re upset. Third-wheeling not your thing?”

This corner is pretty isolated, Asami realizes. There’s like, a potted plant and the entrance to a small storage room. If she’s going to make a move, the time is now.

Korra has gone on a tangent about mushy couples, which is something she often does when she’s nervous. Around Asami, specifically. And the more Asami looks at her, the more ridiculous this situation seems. She's planned this stuff out with Mako and Opal for two weeks, but it all looks meaningless now- Korra doesn't need flowers or serenades or whatever. In the end, all Asami has to do is be honest with what she feels and what she wants. And it's Korra. It's been her all along.

With two steps forward, she has Korra against the wall. Korra’s eyes widen, pupils blown, and her sentence is lost. Asami feels the blood rushing inside her ears, prickling her skin. Her eyes search Korra’s for a split second before she leans in.

She’s always imagined her first kiss with Korra to be romantic and sweet, full of longing. Instead, what happens is that she tugs on Korra’s hair and kisses her soundly, roughly, her entire body pinning Korra in place.

Korra is immediately responsive. Her hands search for purchase on Asami’s leather jacket, desperate. She presses herself up into Asami and she can smell chlorine, mint and alcohol- even better, she can taste it, heavy on her tongue. Korra lets out a small sound, and Asami’s left hand moves to her hip.

Asami’s leg slips between Korra’s and a gasp leaves one of their mouths- she tears her lips away from Korra’s to nip at her neck. The music has somehow gotten louder, and Asami can feel the bass in her chest. She wishes she could hear Korra, that they were alone somewhere else. It feels very much real, the texture of her hair and the faint dampness on her skin from the pool.

“Asami- wait.”

At those words, Asami takes a step back, cutting contact between them. Worried, she asks, “Are you okay? Do you feel sick?”

Korra shakes her head and tugs her close again. “I’m fine, ‘Sami. I just- wow.” She looks up at Asami, bright-eyed and hopeful, “What-“

The next words leave Asami’s mouth before she can think about them.

“I love you.”

They stare at each other for a second. She’s never felt more like an idiot.

“This is the best day of my life.” Korra says, completely emotionless. Asami wonders if she’s broken Korra, until she blinks a couple of times. “Wait. Is this really happening?”

“Yes.” She stops, takes a breath. “Are you, um, pleased?”

Korra’s face finally - thank you, God - breaks into a beautiful smile. “I’m fucking ecstatic.”

A small, shy smile spreads through Asami’s face. “Really?”

“I love you so much, Asami. Jesus. I feel like I’m going to explode.”

Asami has a fuckton of things she’d like to tell Korra, now. Instead of talking about any of them, she does what she’s been wanting to do for the past two minutes- she pushes Korra against the wall again and kisses her, sloppy and excited, and Korra matches her step by step. They stay for an unknown amount of time at that corner until Bolin, still stupid drunk, sees them and yells out to the party what’s happened, and approximately fifteen people show up to congratulate them.

* * *

Not much changes. They already held hands and cuddled and slept over at each other’s places. There’s no big shift, no terrible lovey-dovey behavior for either of them.

It’s exactly what Asami wanted.

Asami can stare as much as her little rainbow heart desires. She can send Korra texts during class about how much she loves her, and get twenty hearts in response. She can press her into her soft mattress and kiss her silly.

No one has to call her out on her shit anymore, which is a big relief for both Mako and Opal. Bolin also doesn’t have to pretend that he doesn’t know Korra is, in his words, “so in love that it’s kinda sad, to be honest”. Poor Kai and Jinora aren’t subjected to their lovesick sighing at the diner. 

Asami doesn’t even need an excuse to go to the skatepark to see her, which is why she’s there on a Saturday afternoon, sipping hot tea on a travel mug and watching Korra zip around. Korra’s friends frequently come to tease her and try to convince her to join them, and she just smiles and laughingly explains the true reason she’s never skated with them- her deathly fear of verts and pipes.

Korra comes to join her at the bench, wild hair and crooked grin.

“Hey! How’s your homework going?”

“It’s not. You’re much more interesting.”

“Than advanced physics? I bet.”

“Physics doesn’t have your biceps. It was a battle bound to be lost.”

Korra flexes for her. Her cheeks are flushed with exertion- Asami kisses one after rolling her eyes. “You mean this baby?” she says, proudly.

Asami leans on her shoulder. “Yes, yes, hotshot.”

“You flatter me so, Satobot.”

“I think it’s my job as your girlfriend. Now, let me study. We can’t all pass our electives while doing no work.”

“Ah, yes. I stand alone in my intellect.”

At her terrible impression of Tenzin, Asami hits her with a thick book. Laughing, Korra finally leaves, with a cheeky wink and a wave, and drops her board on the ground to skate back. Some people smile at Asami- not knowingly, like before, but just genuinely happy to have her there, like she’s finally part of this weird group they’ve formed over the years.

From behind one of the ramps, Asami spots Opal, Bolin and Mako, with Kai breaking off from the group to say hi. She sees all her friends smile and laugh at something he says and then, with quick steps, reach her to say hello. Mako promptly rips her book out of her hands and demands her help with his own homework, and Bolin passes her a well-wrapped sandwich with a warning to eat more often.

Asami endures Opal's smug grin with grace and finishes her tea.

**Author's Note:**

> not a big fan of the ending, but what can one do. if you have any suggestions, feel free to put them in the comments!
> 
> i'm on tumblr as @slytherinkorra, and on twitter as @myouihani. if you want, come say hello!


End file.
